Amazon wants to offer up ebooks Netflix-style

According to a Wall Street Journal report, Amazon is looking to offer a subscription to e-books, similar to how Netflix offers movies.

It might be its own offering, or it might be integrated with Amazon Prime, which offers unlimited free shipping for a static annual fee, among other perks that Amazon continues to add.

Renting e-books en masse for an annual subscription rate would be a good product add for the e-tailer, who has built a reputation for constantly expanding to its offerings. 

Of course, larger on the company's radar is probably its forthcoming tablet (possibly tablets). Then again, e-book rentals would mesh well with such a device, so perhaps a combined launch is in the works.

It's unclear how far progressed the project is, and Amazon is reportedly already talking to publishers (some of which don't sound too happy, sources claim). If it is truly Netflix-style, few new releases would be available, with the library instead offering up mostly older titles. Given that so many classics are already free, it's a wonder how Amazon will make this a truly enticing service.